Jaw-muscle electromyography during chewing in free-ranging mantled howling monkeys at La Pacifica, Costa Rica: A pilot study

哥斯达黎加拉帕西菲卡自由放养的披风嚎叫猴咀嚼时的下颌肌电图：一项试点研究

• 批准号: 0507074
• 负责人: Susan Williams
• 金额: $ 0.87万
• 依托单位: Ohio University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-07-01 至 2007-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0507074&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Jaw; muscle; electromyography; during; chewing

Studies of primate masticatory form, function and evolution typically segregate into one of two lines of research. The first involves lab-based studies on captive primates, using techniques such as electromyography (EMG), to quantify the dynamics of rhythmic mastication. The second line of research involves field studies aimed at capturing the diversity of primate feeding behaviors and diets. Combined, these research programs provide overwhelming and complementary evidence that diet and feeding have led to adaptive modifications of masticatory apparatus form throughout primate evolution. Despite their mutual insight into primate masticatory evolution, these research programs have never been fully integrated. Moreover, because jaw-muscle function is directly influenced by the mechanical properties of foods, laboratory studies suffer from the necessary assumption that they reliably replicate what animals experience in the wild. In order to integrate these two lines of research, the PIs will develop and test a novel system to record jaw-muscle activity in free-ranging mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) at La Pacifica, Costa Rica. The EMG data collected from these monkeys while they eat their natural diets will be correlated with the mechanical properties of these foods to determine how jaw-muscle function varies with food mechanical properties. Howler monkeys at La Pacifica make an ideal study sample because their feeding ecology has been well-documented in this natural habitat. Additionally, because their diet ranges from leaves to fruits, EMG data can be recorded during the mastication of foods with a range of structural and mechanical properties.The scientific merit of this project lies in its integrative approach to studying the evolutionary significance of musculoskeletal design in the primate masticatory apparatus. This project will be the first of its kind to combine lab-based techniques for recording jaw-muscle function with field research on primate feeding ecology. Data collected in this project will link between masticatory function, diet and natural feeding behaviors. By combining these various data, we can develop ecologically and functionally robust hypotheses of primate adaptations of the masticatory apparatus. Furthermore, these data will address whether existing lab-derived EMG data are a reasonable proxy of the natural environment that various primates might encounter. The broader impacts of this project are that it will provide educational opportunities to Costa Rican students and contribute to the conservation of A. palliata. Students will get hands-on training in field techniques, electromyography, and mechanical properties data collection and analysis. This integrative approach will provide them with a broad evolutionary framework for future work on primate ecology, functional morphology and conservation. This research will also benefit conservation management decisions regarding the long-term sustainability of these endangered primates in different microhabitats in Central and South America. Finally, this project is led by a minority female researcher, thereby contributing to minority representation in the sciences.

灵长类动物咀嚼的形式，功能和进化的研究通常分为两个研究方向。第一个涉及对圈养灵长类动物的实验室研究，使用肌电图（EMG）等技术来量化有节奏咀嚼的动力学。第二条研究路线涉及旨在捕捉灵长类动物进食行为和饮食多样性的实地研究。结合起来，这些研究项目提供了压倒性的和补充的证据，饮食和喂养导致了整个灵长类动物进化过程中咀嚼器形式的适应性修改。尽管他们对灵长类动物咀嚼进化有着共同的见解，但这些研究项目从未完全整合。此外，由于下颌肌肉功能直接受到食物机械特性的影响，实验室研究必须假设它们可靠地复制动物在野外的经历。 为了整合这两条研究路线，PI将开发和测试一种新的系统，以记录哥斯达黎加拉太平洋地区自由放养的披膜吼猴（Alouatta palliata）的下颌肌肉活动。从这些猴子吃天然食物时收集的EMG数据将与这些食物的机械特性相关联，以确定下颌肌肉功能如何随食物机械特性而变化。拉帕西菲卡的吼猴是一个理想的研究样本，因为它们的进食生态在这个自然栖息地已经有了很好的记录。此外，由于他们的饮食范围从树叶到水果，肌电图数据可以记录在咀嚼的食物与一系列的结构和机械性能。该项目的科学价值在于它的综合方法来研究灵长类动物咀嚼器的肌肉骨骼设计的进化意义。该项目将是第一个将联合收割机实验室记录下颌肌肉功能的技术与灵长类动物摄食生态学的实地研究相结合的项目。本计画所收集的资料将连结咀嚼功能、饮食与自然摄食行为。 通过结合这些不同的数据，我们可以开发生态和功能强大的假设灵长类动物的咀嚼装置的适应。 此外，这些数据将解决现有的实验室来源的EMG数据是否是各种灵长类动物可能遇到的自然环境的合理代理。 该项目更广泛的影响是，它将为哥斯达黎加学生提供教育机会，并有助于保护A。palliata。学生将获得现场技术，肌电图和机械性能数据收集和分析的实践培训。这种综合的方法将为他们提供一个广泛的进化框架，为未来的灵长类动物生态学，功能形态学和保护工作。这项研究也将有利于保护管理决策的长期可持续性，这些濒危灵长类动物在不同的微栖息地在中美洲和南美洲。最后，该项目由一名少数民族女性研究人员领导，从而有助于少数民族在科学领域的代表性。